Automatic fire extinguisher



March 4, 1930. H. w. PARTLOW AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Dec. 5, 1927 fnow mw. riin'rnovmor nrIcA, lvnwyoax f Patented Mar. 1930 AUTOMATIC- rmnnx'rmenrsiinn j i Application filed December 19%7. Serial No. 237,888. I

, varnish' kettl'es,cleaning tubs, andthe like, i wherein, the solutions are separately held' in containers of thetumbler type,.which gravi tate when released andassume the mixing and discharging position; 1 I

I The object of the invention is. to provide novelym'eans for holdingfthe tumbler inactive, the said holding means consisting ofa train of separable levers, which areusually mounted 'adjacentfthe' tumbler, and .a latch carried byfthe tumbler,'which is arranged to engage one of the levers. A further object is to" provide complementary thermostats for controlling said holding parts, comprisingprimary and secondary members, one of said i membersbeing'inclosed by the other, and bezo connected tothe primary lever of said train, and the arrangement of said members 7 C being such that, as long as the temperature in th "Vicinity of the extinguishing unit remains normal, or rises at a normal rate, the tumbler is held inactive,-and during suchpe- V riods" both the primary and secondary'thermostats tend to neutralize each other and i prevent accidental oruntimely release of the tumbler. Onthe other hand, when the temperature rises quickly, or at an abnormal rate, as by the starting of a fire adjacent the I tumbler, the sudden rise of temperaturecauses the: exposed primary member to expand and move the secondary member in the direction for' disconnecting the said levers,

'andreleasing and enabling the tumbler, to rotate towards the discharge position by its own weight? And a further object isto provide 'automaticsholding and releasing means for fire extinguishers of the class,'in which compressed air,.electricity or other more or less uncertain and intangible elements heretofore employed are eliminated, and to substitute therefor an extremely simple and direct thermal-mechanical controlling mechanism.

' The various features and parts of the invention will be understood from the detailed description which follows, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is an end elevation of the extin- PATE r orl-icli guishing unit, to which my improvement is tion of the thermal-mechanical control.

Fig. 4 is anend elevation of the same. And Fig.5 is a top plan viewof the tumbler held inactive by the control. 1 g Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 5 of the drawing, the fire extinguishing unit comprises an upright frame 2, in which is hung eccentrically a cylindrical tumbler or container 3, the latter preferably being divided interiorly into noncommunicating compartments 3f-3 which hold 'separatiely the solutions that when combined produces the the quenching fluid. 4 represents a manifold which is mounted externally near the of the tumbler, and is formed with acommon chamber that communicates with the compartments 3*, and wherein the solutions become mixed when thetumbler isrotated to the discharge position, shown injFig. .1, in which the short arrow indicates the point at which the discharge of-the contents takes place.

k by which the unit maybe fastened to a floor or shelf'when-in the upright position, shown in the drawing. 'When the extinguishing unit is used to protect dip tanks and the like, the tumbler 3'is usually supported from the ceiling, and for this purpose the top 2 of the frame is provided with a swivel-loop, as 2, to which a chain, hook 'or other suspending means may be attached.

autoinaticcontrolfor the extinguishing unitcomprises an elongated body 5, which may be mounted on a bracket 5, the said bracket being secured to an upright 2 of the frame 2.; The top end of the body 5 has a slot, as 5', to receive a rockable lever 6, which 1s pivoted by a pin 6. One end of the lever 6 overlaps the tumbler 3, and is arranged to be engaged by a latch carried by the. tumbler, for holding the latter inactive,'as shown in Figs; l, 2 and 5. *The'free end of the latch 7 is formed with a long arm 7 and a short arm 7 which are arranged in a com- I I beingarranged to engage the UIIClGISlClG'OfL'thB- lever; 6 for holding the tumbler from rotating clock-Wise, as shown by the long arrow in Fig. 1. The arm 7 of the latch is employed for rocking the lever 6 from the oblique or released position, to the horizontal or holding position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by the reverse clockwise rotation of the tumbler. The opposite end of lever 6 is arranged to overlap the free end of an upright lever 8, when the parts are set for holding the tumbler fro-m acting. The lower end of lever 8-is pivoted to apost 8 which is'su'pported by the body 5. A spring 8 tends to resiliently maintain'lever 8 1n The levers 6 and 8 the holding position. are controlled by a thermostat. comprising complementary members as 9-9, the latter member telescoping the formerand being reciprocatable therein to a certain extent, and also being connected to. the lever 8-. The members 99 preferably consist of relatively thin brass tubing, and are ofsubstan tially equal expansibility. The outer tube 9 'isypreferably perforated,tas M9, for enablingthe smaller tube 9 to expand with tube 9, whenthe temperature is-normahor rises at'anormal rate. One end of tube 9 is preferably rigidly securedto the body 5, its opposite end being loosely supported by a bracket 10, which is rigid to an upright 2 of the frame. One end of the tube 9' preferably. passes loosely through thesbody 5 and is pivoted to the shorter end of the lever 8. The opposite end of tube 9 preferably extends beyond the free end of tube 9, and

' is threaded and fitted with nuts 12, which normally engage the end of tube 9, and afford means for. adjustingthe, lever 8 relatively to the lever 6, as may be understood means connectedgt'o said memberand formed i for connection to the. frame to rigidly sup- 3 port the member adjacent to an end of the frame and in spaced relation tot'he periphery of the tumbler, a horizontal lever pivoted f between its ends to, said vertical member and upper end underlying and engageable with having its inner endlapPingfthe periphery I of the tumbler and engageable with *thelatch of the tumbler, a vertical lever having its the under side of theouter end of the horizoni tal lever, means to pivotally mount said vertical lever, on said vertical member, temperature, responsive means I connected at one end to the lower end of the vertical l-everto actufrom said frame of the tumbler.

' 2. A latch release mechanism fora fire ex .tmguisher having a tumbler rotatably mounted inaframe and providedwith a latch on its periphery, including a vertical member,

means connected to said member and formed foraconnection to theframe to rigidly sup- I port the member adjacent to an end of the.

frame and in spaced'relation to the, periphery of the tumbler, a pivoted member on the vert calmember formed to. engage with'the latch,

pivoted member, meansto pivotally mount said vertical lever on said vertical member, and temperature responsive means connectedv to the vertical l-ever to act uate same.

. In testimony whereof I- aflixmy signature. i j

r HOWARD .,.rART-Lowby consulting Figs; 1 and'3. By'this arrange- I ment, when tube 9 expands,as by anyabnormal rise oftemperature, the said tube lengthens, and exerts pressure against nuts 12, which moves the tube 9 axially and swings lever 8 away from lever 6, which enables the eccentrically hung tumbler to effect its release by tilting lever -6,'as' shown in Figs.

1 and 3. .This quick expansion of tube 9 occurs before the'abnormal heat has had time to penetrate tube '9 and effect any ap- My improved control is extremely simple,

positiveand direct in its operation, and is especially adapted for individual or local installation, asherein shown and described.

Having thus described'my invention, what I claim is.-v

1. A l'atch release mechanism for a fire extinguisher having a tumbler rotatably mounted in a frame and provided with a latch on its periphery, including a verticalmember,

a vertical lever formedtoijengagewith said 

